Swati

Updated from 22nd September, 2013. If you have been following me for a long time, you would already be aware that I love facial oils. I have tried the carrier oils and the blended ones both and the best one till date was the grapeseed oil. I used one from soulflower but I am sure it would be the same in any brand. So, if you are looking for a good moisturizer or night cream, I would definitely suggest the grapeseed oil.

I love oils. In fact, so much so that I would love to own all the apothecaries in the world! And, recently again, due to improper care my skin started to look and behave a bit weird so I thought I would go about giving it a good dose of care which does not ruin my easy life either. And, I have plethora of oils in my closet!! I will share the ones in my closet soon. But, everyone is skeptical when they hear the term. So, first thing, a facial oil can be used by all skin types. You just have to use the right one for your skin.

How to find the best oil for yourself?

Is your skin dry? Go for coconut oil. It has the fatty acids which instantly lift and plump up the skin and hydrate it from inside.

I am not sure of almond oil. Some say that the molecules are too big to penetrate the skin so it does not really cause breakouts. But, I have no history of breakouts so I can not really answer that. But, it is great for under-eye area.

Olive oil is something I will never really recommend for hair or body. I have heard quite a lot of complaints about it but many raves also but personally my preference is not that. It is a known comedogenic.

Life after you become a mother is never the same – everything from your priorities to your perspectives undergoes a revolution. Where you were once called the social butterfly among your friend circle, you are today known as the “overly attached mother”. At one time going shopping meant raiding the entire mall buying outfits, accessories and makeup for yourself; today it means stocking your tote with nappies, toys, and clothes for your little one. Pregnancy is one of the biggest changes in a woman.

Besides the whirlwind of changes in your schedule, your social life, and your life choices, what also undergoes a major change through the course of your pregnancy and motherhood is your body. Sure the experience of being a mother to a beautiful baby is highly enriching and fulfilling, but the fact that your body has lost its vitality and tone can pull you down tremendously. To quickly get back to your fitter self, you may resort to high-intensity exercises and fad diets, but these measures can do you more harm than good. Here are five safe post pregnancy measures to get back in shape:

Don’t Rush It

One of the biggest mistakes made by new mothers is that they turn on the weight loss mode immediately after giving birth even before they are mentally or physically ready. Especially if you’ve had a C-section delivery, doctors advise that you wait at least for six weeks before embarking on a fitness quest.

Heavy workouts can hinder your healing process while also exhausting and discouraging you from continuing the weight loss process. It is important that you take it slow initially and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts. Practicing exercises like walking, kegels and lifting light weights can help expedite your healing process while easing you into the weight loss mode.

If you are skin care fanatic, you would know how it is to have your shelves overflowing with products. I was just cleaning my dresser a few days back and I found I have quite a collection of face masks. All masks I have are clay based. I wish I had something soothing and hydrating to use after a long day in sun and do not have to struggle while taking off. Any recommendations?

Face Masks on My Shelf

Just Herbs Petal Soft Anti-Tan Rose Face Pack

Price : Rs 445 for 150gms

I had bought this with a lot of hope but it does nothing special. I was hoping it would get rid of the tan. It just makes the face look fresh. I like to use it in the shower now as a morning cleanser sometimes and washing off is not exactly easy, just like with other clay masks.

Just Herbs Instaglow Almond Complexion Pack

Price : Rs 445 for 150gms

I was hoping this would be a creamy mask but it also turned out to be a mud mask. Again nothing much, just makes face look fresher.

I love using skin care but I am not the 10-step skin care routine person. I prefer to keep my things simple and uncomplicated though with recent posts you would not feel so. Lately, I have slipped into the habit of layering my skin care in which I end up using around 5 products easily but I am finding it too cumbersome. Then, I decided to stick to my basic skin care tricks which will keep my skin and me both happy.

You should ideally have a toner / face mist, serum, facial oil, moisturizer, body oil / body lotion and sunscreen in your skin care stash. You do not have to use everything at one go but these are the basic things you need to start with and then you can add just one more thing – an antioxidant serum which goes on before sunscreen to boost its efficacy. This is specifically helpful for working people and new mommies who hardly have time for themselves.

5 Skin Care Tricks I have Adopted

Using body oil in shower

When you are slick wet from shower, slather on a body oil. It is the fastest and best way to keep your skin supple and hydrated all day long. You could follow up with a moisturizer or body butter on areas which need something extra. If not body oil, choose a body butter which spreads easily when wet. Do not use lotion as it will be too thin and will get washed off with the water.

When I got my cysteine treated and coloured last year, my hair stylist had almost convinced me that hair oil is not really necessary. In fact, he went so far as to claim it does nothing, nothing at all, for the hair and is best avoided as not applying means you can use milder shampoos.

As much as this was sounding right, I always had this skeptic at back of my head saying may be this needs a bit of investigation. I did go for four to six months without oil and I would not say that my hair was just the same or really missed oil. But, it did teach me what hair oil can and can not do.

So, lets see if I can really convince on some of the far fetched claims of hair oiling.

The oil may or may not get absorbed by your shaft making the protective layer disappear. Btw, if you follow this method, you would notice that your hair appears drier by the next day of the wash.

What does Hair Oil really Do?

Hair Oil Softens

Yes, it does. It smooths out the tangles provided you do use a comb later, makes the hair soft and creates a protective layer on it. This protective layer ensures that when you shampoo your hair, the ingredients do not end up harming the scalp or the hair structure.